Mou Hitori no Boku
by Ko-chan to Ya-chan
Summary: Abused for much of his childhood, Yuugi is relieved to find a new home with his mother and grandfather. His peace is shattered, however, when a new antagonist arrives. And this time, there's no way to escape. AU, mature themes, JxY SxY A/YYxY ch3 edited
1. Cruel Shadow

So who else is tired of the same fluff fraught with typos and dub names? –counts raised hands- Right, then.

Be warned now that this fic will probably turn out to be one of the darkest and most serious things dealing w/Yu-Gi-Oh ever written, and will most likely sound like something straight out of a psychological thriller. I originally wrote this in 2003, so I apologize in advance if some of the writing comes across as shoddy and childish. I've been periodically going through and revising every now and then, too, so forgive me if the writing style shifts dramatically from chapter to chapter if you stumble upon one I haven't fixed yet. Most "errors" in the Yu-Gi-Oh continuum are a story-based stylistic choice, since this story is most definitely AU.

Anyhoo, if you think you're up for it, continue reading.

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Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh copyright Kazuki Takahashi

Warning: Mature themes, abuse, implied rape, foul language

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**Mou Hitori no Boku: Zankoku na Kuragari**

**The Other Me: Cruel Shadow

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**

Have you ever wondered what it's like for people unfortunate enough to grow up with violent parents? What they must feel when they hear their mothers and fathers fighting late into the night? The pain they go through when their parents decide to take their anger out on them as well as each other?

What about the sense of relief that overcomes them when they learn they're going to be taken away from such conditions, only to suddenly find them there again? Taking their rage and hate out on them again... When they've barely had time to adjust?

I don't. I don't need to... I know exactly what it's like.

I know all too well of the heavy sadness, the constant ache for solace. The shock of terror that leaves you breathless as enraged shouts break the peaceful silence, and the urge to break down and cry from the unfairness of it all.

I'm not the only one. My best friend has to deal with it every day. His mother and younger sister live far away, so there's no one to help him when things turn ugly. Instead, he tries his best to avoid going home when his father is in one of his moods; hanging out with friends or wandering the lonely streets in the dead of night.

I know I should be more empathetic, but I can't help but envy him. He, at least, can try avoiding his problems. I can't. Sure, the dark days with my parents are long gone; my Dad forgotten while Mom and I live with her father, but they aren't the ones hurting me anymore, and I can't escape the one who does. He lives within me, wresting control whenever he pleases and banishing my consciousness to the dark corners of my mind. Instead of damaging our body, he chooses to attack where no one can see, and there is no proof of his crimes or his existence... He attacks my very soul...

He's fighting me right now, actually. He wants to come out and destroy Ushio for injuring his vessel.

Ushio is one of the main bullies in our school, though he's supposed to be Hall Monitor. He beats me up regularly since I'm shorter and weaker, but somehow I always heal easily and endure the pain without crying as much as his other victims, so he targets me out of spite. After years of abuse, it's no wonder why I take pain better than others- I'm just used to it by now. He'd beaten me up earlier today, and now my darkness wants to exact revenge for bruising his host's body.

I tried my hardest to keep control, but he dragged me into my mind, where our spirits are separate and no one is in control of our body. He struck me for my disobedience, knocking me to the stone-like floor. I winced, clutching my reddened cheek, and looked up at his intimidating form. His scowl deepened.

//You dare to gaze upon the pharaoh, you worthless peasant?! Lowly servants do not lift their heads unless instructed to do so! Nor do they deny the pharaoh _anything_! For your impudence, you shall be severely punished...// he stated coldly, and a familiar weight wormed its way into my stomach.

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~*~

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I woke in my body the next morning, and a feeling of dread came over me. What had he done last night? At some point I must have fainted, and he'd most likely taken control and sought out Ushio...

I sighed, hearing Mom call through the door. I suppose I'll just have to find out when I get to school... That's the thing with kids our age- nothing happens without our knowing it. As soon as someone hears or sees something, the whole school knows by first period. I just hope he didn't do anything extreme...

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~*~

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As I reached the front gates of the high school, I noticed a large crowd of students huddled around something under one of the trees. Curious, I made my way over and asked the nearest person what everyone was staring at. All chatter ceased. They turned to look at me, some backing away while others glared, anger and hatred in their eyes. One of them approached me, fury twisting her painted lips into a snarl. She lashed out at me, sharp nails raking across my cheek, and I fell back onto the wet grass.

"What do you mean, 'what happened'?! _You're_ the one who _did this_!" she screamed, pointing to whatever they had been looking at.

My heart stopped. _He_ had done this...

I swallowed thickly, taking a deep breath, and rose, turning my gaze to whatever my darkness had left of Ushio. To my surprise, he was unharmed, but the rush of relief I felt was short lived. His eyes were glazed over, tongue lolling about as he ran his hands through a pile of leaves, ignoring his fellow gang members as they tried to get him to snap out of it. He was gone.

I fell to my knees, blinking back tears as I stared at Ushio's empty shell. /You bastard… What did you do to him...?/

A dark chuckle echoed through my mind, followed by the smug voice of the dark spirit. //I repaid his debt in full.//

His laughter sent a chill down my spine, and I let my tears fall.

"I- I couldn't stop him... He got to him anyway... If only I wasn't so useless…" I whispered, clenching my fists as my tears disappeared into the moist earth. "How can you be so cruel?"

The others stepped back, surprised by my actions. Why would the criminal cry for the victim? Those who were close enough to hear me fixed me with a wary, puzzled gaze. Who was I talking about? I wish I knew...

He calls himself Pharaoh, and once resided a strange golden puzzle from ancient Egypt. When I put the puzzle together, he suddenly emerged from the deep recesses of my mind. After the first beating he'd given me, I'd tried to get rid of him by taking apart the puzzle, but found that with every piece I dismantled, a part of my soul was ripped away with it. The pain was too much to bear, so I was forced to restore it.

After recovering, he'd immediately thrown me to the ground, and said that if I ever tried to do something like that again, he would treat me to something worse than death. I really don't want to find out what he meant by that.

Needless to say, I never tried to get rid of him again, no matter how often he hurts me. I'm stuck with him, and no one can help that. I just wish he'd be kinder... or at least not hit me as hard as he does...

//Perhaps if you obeyed your Pharaoh, he would have no need to punish you.//

The bell rang, sparing me from doing something stupid like shouting at him in public and incurring his wrath. Shakily, I rose from the ground, trudging solemnly to my first period class. I hope Jonouchi decided to come to class today... I just can't keep this to myself anymore.


	2. Deadly Mistake

More editing… Ugh.

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Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh copyright Kazuki Takahashi

Warning: AU, mature themes, child abuse, foul language

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**Mou Hitori no Boku: Chimei Teki na Machigai **

**The Other Me: Deadly Mistake

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**

(Atemu)

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Well, well, well... Is the little peasant angry? He's lucky I'm feeling generous enough to ignore his cheek. I've grown tired of reprimanding him, but at least the little one has learned enough to hold his tongue. Pharaoh can only be so patient, after all.

I found myself drawn from my musings by a twinge of emotion emanating from the seemingly empty room. He's worried about what I'll do if he tells his friend about me, and what his friend will think of him when he does reveal his story. I could care less, as I'm positive that anyone he tells will think he's crazy.

Of course, it would be a bit harder to move freely if he's locked away, but it's nothing Pharaoh couldn't work around. I have my powers, after all. In the end, his confinement would probably help me break his spirit so I can take over permanently.

Unless his friend believes him.

I shook my head, banishing the thought. That could never happen.

Turning my attention to the outside, I observed my vessel as he approached a lanky blonde boy roughly two feet taller than him. What was this heathen's name again? I'm certain I've heard his name a few times before...

"Good morning, Jonouchi."

Ah yes- I remember now. His name is Katsuya Jounouchi, a former bully who also has an abusive father. At least _he_ knows where his father is, unlike my wretched host.

The little one must have picked up on that stray thought. He stiffened abruptly, leading the blonde boy to ask him what's wrong.

"N- nothing... It's just, well... How to say this...?" my host muttered nervously, fiddling with his bangs.

This was it- he was going to tell him about me. I reclined in my throne, watching as the little one attempted to gather up enough courage to go through with it.

"Jou, can... can I tell you something? I- it's kind of important...."

"Sure, Yuugi. Go ahead."

"O-okay...but you have to promise not to laugh or anything..."

Ha. No matter what he says, he's still going to think you're insane, little Yuugi. He'll be the first to shun you, and then who will you run to?

"Yuugi, you know I'd never do something like that! Just go ahead, already."

"Here goes..." he took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. "I... You know what happened to Ushio, right? How I supposedly did that to him?"

The blonde frowned, but nodded, obviously lost. He was rather pathetic, really, but I had always been told that commoners weren't very bright.

"Well, they... they weren't all that off..."

The taller boy's eyes widened and my vessel rushed to explain. "I guess, technically I did it... But I wasn't controlling my actions. You see, I was unconscious at the time."

He risked a tentative glance at his friend, who looked more confused than ever. "It… It was an evil spirit inside of me... He knocked me out and took control of my body, then did that to Ushio."

//You dare call Pharaoh evil?_ I_, who have become one with Osiris!//

I clenched my fists, willing myself to achieve calm. It would not do to lend support to my host's claims.

"You mean- you're possessed or something?!" the buffoon exclaimed, leading my charge to cover his mouth and hush him.

"Shh!" he hissed, then retracted his small hand. "Sort of... He came out of my puzzle, and now resides in my mind. I can't force him out or control him, he's too strong. We're separate people, but we can somehow sense each other's feelings, too. He can openly sense mine, anyway... I only sense what he wants to reveal to me."

"If he's causing you so much trouble, why don't you just destroy the puzzle?" the blonde asked.

I was surprised he had managed to follow along as much as he had. Perhaps he's smarter than I thought...

"I tried that already. As soon as I tried taking it apart, a piece of my own soul felt like it was taken with it. The pain was unbearable, even worse than all the beatings I've endured combined. I had no choice but to put it back together, and as soon as we both recovered, he said if I ever tried to do that again, he'd 'treat me to something worse than death'. B-but I… I can't control him or hold him back anymore... I'm scared of him, of what he could do to everyone...

He's strong, Jou. Unbelievably so. He shattered Ushio's mind without any effort at all, just because Ushio had damaged his vessel. That's all I am to him—a body he can control, and nothing more. He tries his hardest to get under my skin; tries to break my spirit so he can take over permanently when I can't fight him anymore...

I... I can't do this for much longer, Jonouchi. I can't do this alone anymore. Please... please say you believe me. You're the only one I felt I could tell. The only one I can trust with this. I don't know what I'd do if you turned away... Please believe me...."

I frowned, watching the boy's face carefully. I think the lack wit actually believed him. This isn't good... Not good at all....

"This sounds like some pretty weird shit, Yuugi... But... I trust you. You wouldn't act like this if you weren't serious. I... I believe you. I'll try to help in any way I can." the blonde replied.

"Thank you. Just- if I start acting strangely, or if I try to hurt anyone, try to stop me, okay? And... Promise me, if it gets too dangerous, if you can't stop me, promise you'll stay out of his way. That you'll go somewhere safe... I don't want him to hurt you. I don't want him to hurt anyone I care about..."

I cursed as the blonde placed a comforting hand on our shoulder. I never should have allowed this.

"Okay, Yuugi. I promise."

I briefly entertained the idea of shattering the boy's mind, but thought better of it. The fewer who knew of my existence, the better.

My thoughts were interrupted as a new presence made itself known.

"How sweet. The little dog is comforting his master. I think I'm getting cavities..."

The blonde growled, glaring at the newcomer. Perhaps he was a dog after all...

My host gazed up at the new boy, and I was able to get a good look at him. He had brown hair and icy blue eyes that radiated arrogance. He was dressed in the normal, boring school uniform, and carried a silver box instead of a backpack like ours. I bristled, wary of this boy. His face was all too similar to that treacherous priest's.

"Fuck off, Kaiba. Go play with your little duel disks, you egomaniac..." the lack wit seethed, clenching his fists.

The new boy smiled coldly. "What's the matter, little puppy? Get rabies?"

"Leave him alone, Kaiba. There's no need to fight like this..." my vessel intervened, stepping between the two.

The brunette smirked. "You're right. I shouldn't be wasting my time on a coward who hides behind someone half his size."

"What'd you say?! I'll kill you!" the blonde yelled, lunging at Kaiba.

The brunette merely stepped a little to the left, leaving the other to fall flat on his face. I must admit, I wouldn't waste my time on him either, save for the fact he's aware of my presence. I have a feeling he'll be a thorn in my side in the near future.

"Jonouchi!" My host rushed to assist his friend, scowling at his upperclassman.

/He's as bad as you./

I snapped, memories of that infuriating smirk clouding my judgement.

//HE IS NOTHING LIKE ME!! HOW DARE YOU EVEN _THINK_ THAT!!// I roared, and the boy shuddered, closing his eyes so that neither of us can see.

"What is it, Yuugi?" a voice asks.

"He- he's coming... I- I don't think I can stop him... Help me, Jonouchi!" my charge pleaded, weakly protesting as I viciously tugged at his consciousness.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" the arrogant boy snorted, and I dragged Yuugi to me before he could answer.

"You little bitch..." I hissed, keeping his arms in an iron grip as he winced in pain. "How dare you... You made a deadly mistake, comparing me to that conniving sonovabitch!"

He flinched, tears streaming down his face. Good... let him feel terror. Let him fear me... I want him to remember this.

"Look at me." I commanded, "_NOW_..."

He reluctantly complied, violet eyes wide. I pulled him closer, meeting his gaze with cold fury, and his breath catches.

"Your insolence shall not go unpunished... You need to remember your place, boy. Perhaps the death of your classmates will help remind you…"

His face grew pale. "No… You can't..."

"I can and I _WILL_. Do not doubt the limits of my power!!" I snarled, throwing him against the wall, leaving him too weak to stop me.

"Yuugi?! Yuugi, are you okay?!"

I opened my eyes, noting the worried expression on the lack wit's face. Should I enlighten him? Yes… I want him to watch the light fade from their eyes as they realize their fate.

"Yuugi? Yuugi is far from okay. In fact, he can barely move right now..." I smirked, and the buffoon's eyes widened.

"I- It's you…. WHAT DID YOU DO?!" he demanded, his grip tightening on our shoulders.

"He has ignited Pharaoh's wrath. He needs to be taught a lesson..."

"What's going on here? You know the rules- no fighting!" a high-pitched voice cut in.

A brunette girl with a short uniform skirt sauntered up, stopping before us. She began lecturing about how we should all be friends and support world peace in our public schools, and I began to grow tired of her. World peace? Ha! There will never be world peace! Not when the human race is still around... It's our nature to destroy for the sake of ambition. World peace is just a hopeless little dream that can never be attained with people like _Them_ around...

"Are you done running your useless mouth, girl? Your little friendship fantasies will obviously never happen." I retort, and she turned to me, shock evident in her features.

"Peace _isn't_ a fantasy! It's people like you who keep us from-"

"MIND BREAK!!" I snapped, facing my open palm to the girl's head.

She hung there for a moment, frozen in time, then crumpled to the ground, soulless. I lowered my hand, delighting in the petrified faces of those who had seen.

I smirked, grabbing a vial of clear liquid and a strange blue candle with flame coming out of a metal pipe.

Kaiba and the lack wit were intelligent enough to back away, racing out of the building as fast as they could. The others, however, were still paralyzed by fear...

I poured the liquid in the vial on the floor before me, watching it seep into the girl's clothes. I smiled coldly, recalling a scene from a film I had seen shortly after my awakening. Looking up at the immobilized students and teacher of Yuugi's first period chemistry class, I saluted them with my middle finger.

"See you in hell..."

I threw the flame onto the wet floor, shielding myself from the raging inferno I had unleashed upon the hapless peasants as I walked through the door and away from the burning building.


	3. Frail Soul

Most of the editing seems to be removing OOC childish drivel. : Ugh. It's embarrassing to think I fancied myself "smart" in those days… -___-

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Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh copyright Kazuki Takahashi.

Warnings: Mature themes. Mention of rape.

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**Mou Hitori no Boku: Hakanai Tamashii**

**The Other Me: Frail Soul

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**

(Ryou)

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All eyes darted to the windows as a loud explosion rocked the foundation of the school. After an initial stunned silence, my classmates and I were herded out the door, wincing as fire alarms screeched bloody murder in our ears. Murmurs of excitement, fear, and curiosity filled the air, and I somehow managed to get separated from my group in the tumult. Bodies pushed and shoved their way past, and I soon found myself alone on the outskirts of the large courtyard.

Sighing, I looked around, noting a large billow of smoke coming from the West. It was a sickly green hue, wafting up in thick, lazy clouds that kept their shape despite the slight breeze. My eyes widened. Smoke wasn't supposed to look that way. The explosion must have come from the Chemistry building in the A-wing.

Ignoring that little voice that argued that fumes from chemical fires were dangerous, I hurried down the halls toward the fire. On the way there, I stumbled upon a small figure with spiky, multicolored hair staring at the flaming building. I crossed the stretch of half-dead grass, intent on finding out what had happened, but froze mid-step when the person turned to look at me over their shoulder. Bright, crimson eyes bored into mine, and my heart was gripped with fear. There was something almost feral about the way his eyes glistened in the light of the blaze.

I was jolted out of my thoughts by a searing pain in my chest. Unbuttoning the top three clips of my school jacket, I realized the golden ring that hung from my neck was burning my skin through my dress shirt. My eyes darted back to the strange boy. Was he behind this? Did the spirit of the ring have something against him? How was that possible- the spirit came from _ancient_ Egypt; he couldn't possibly know this guy, could he?!

The boy with the piercing eyes smirked and whispered something that was drowned out by the sirens of approaching fire trucks, then turned his gaze back to the raging inferno. There was a flash of light as the roof of the chemistry building collapsed, and I clenched my eyes shut to avoid the heat and dust. Upon opening them again, the boy was kneeling on the ground, his head in his hands.

My ring stopped burning, though I could still sense the spirit's agitation, and I gathered what little courage I had and walked up to the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened.

Wondering at the non sequitur action, I hesitated before speaking. In that brief pause, the boy turned, and I was greeted with frightened violet eyes. Startled, I pondered the change for a moment, and the boy scrambled backward out of my grasp. A golden glint diverted my attention to his necklace, and any thoughts of questioning the small teen about the fire were whisked away. This boy had a sennen item, just like me.

That explained why the spirit reacted so violently. He must know the spirit residing in this boy's item from back in their time. Catching movement out of the corner of my eye, I abruptly realized the frightened teen had been slowly backing away from me while I'd been preoccupied with my thoughts. As I opened my mouth to calm him, he froze, then turned and bolted before I could say anything.

"W-wha? H- hey! Wait! I just want to talk!"

The other paid me no heed, racing in the direction of the track field as fast as his short legs could carry him. I bit my lip, trying to decide whether to follow him, when a cold voice echoed in my mind.

//Follow him…// The voice commanded, //If you let him escape, there'll be hell to pay, do you understand?//

I gulped, knowing exactly what he had in mind. I'd disobeyed him in the past, and if I was lucky, he let me off with a simple beating. Other times… I shuddered, taking a deep breath before following after the other boy. Those memories were better left buried.

Forcing down a wave of nausea, I tried to focus on the task at hand. I could still see him, and was steadily gaining ground, but was rather surprised by his speed. Though fear of getting caught, which I assumed was the underlying reason behind his current actions, was enough to give anyone a boost of adrenaline, this kid was obviously a pro. I bet he'd had plenty of practice running from the many bullies our school harbored… I knew exactly how he felt, and yet, there I was chasing after him. God, I felt like such a hypocrite!

Guilt guiding my actions, I timidly searched for an answer from the spirit, still pursuing the boy at a steady pace. /Um… May I ask why we're after this boy? P- please don't be angry by my asking such a question! I'm not disagreeing with you or anything, I'd just… like to know.../

I felt a twinge of hauteur though our shared link, and had a gut feeling I wouldn't like his answer...

//Simple- kill the vessel, and you render the other helpless. And then… Then, the pharaoh shall pay…//


	4. Be Strong

Ra damn…. Isolation and KWOD 106.5 are pretty good inspiration for angst fics like this one… *shake their heads in disbelief* Hmm…. Better have it in Yuugi's POV this time…. Makes more sense that way…. --;; Damn- guess that means we have to think of another subtitle…. ;; *intently listening to KWOD* What the hell do they mean, 'trimp like a grimp'?! WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN?!!! *guy says it again* Ah, 'ell with it. --;;

                Well, that said, let's move on, shall we?

                                                                                    ~ Ko-chan to Ya-chan

Disclaimer: The day we own YGO is the day KidsWB decides to dub it right… Needless to say, it ain't  happenin' anytime soon… --;; *shudder in unison* We can't believe they call him Merric…. 

Warning: Blah blah blah… You dun know the standard by now, you must have less brains than Usagi….

**Mou Hitori no Boku: Tsuyoi ni de Aru**

**The Other Me: Be Strong**

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****

            My breath is ragged as I scale the hill heading toward the track field. As the ground beneath my feet levels out, I risk a glance over my shoulder. Yes, there he was- only a couple yards away and gaining. What's with him? What does he want from me?!

            I whirl around so I'm facing away from the boy again, taking off once more. Tears well up in my eyes as I run, dripping down my reddened cheeks. First my other decides to beat me and blow up my classmates, and now this?! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?!!

            //Believed there's only one of them, to start with… Let's see, then you disobeyed the pharaoh, the Earthreal form of Horus. Hmm… What indeed…?// my other sneered, and I wince at the biting sarcasm dripping from his every word.

            Trying my damnedest to ignore the jeering taunts that echoed through the corridors of my mind, I concentrated on simply running. It was something I knew, something I'd been doing nearly all my life. It was second-nature for me, though my frame would make one think of it as a hindrance. In all actuality, my small body only made me faster.

            //Then tell me, why is it that our pursuer is gaining ground?// an annoyed voice retorted.

            I resisted the urge to tell my other to shut the fuck up. I know that 'fuck' is a word I normally hate, but it just seemed to fit better than anything else at the moment. I guess I finally understand why Jou-kun tends to say it so often, though he's cut back on it a lot since I've mentioned it…..

            //Hai, hai…. That's all _very_ pointless and NOT interesting in the least, so could you just shut the FUCK up and run FASTER?!//

            Sugoi- am I really getting to him? How come he hasn't come to beat me if he's this angry?

            //I haven't because I haven't needed to yet, but if this keeps up, you'll find yourself in a shitload of pain!!! GOT IT?!//

            /Okei, okei! I'm running, I'm running!!/ I pick up the pace as much as I can, racing clear off the track field and onto a beaten path in the middle of a large patch of watermelons.

            /Chotto- if this is the school garden, then there should be…./ I thought, and turned sharply at the next corner. /Yosha!/

            Just as I'd thought- I'd remembered Jou-kun telling me that the ceramics classroom was right next to the garden. He didn't really seem to be one to take pottery, but he says it calms his soul, and it's one of the few times he can forget all his problems and just let his imagination take flight. Thanking whatever supernatural being had let me to remember this place, I tried the door, finding it unlocked.

            /They must have left it open when they heard the explosion…./ I mused, and a wave of guilt pressed against the emotional wall I'd built.

            There's no time for that- I have to stay focused! Shaking my head, I quickly slipped inside, closing the door as quietly as I could and shutting the blinds so it looked like no one was in here. Just for good measure, I decided to hide behind an empty kiln in the back room until I was sure the coast was clear.

            I held my breath as heavy footfalls raced past the main door, never stopping to turn back. Once I was sure my pursuer wasn't going to burst in any minute and find me, I sighed in relief, wiping the sweat from my brow. I stood, stepping a few feet from my hiding spot, and pondered what to do next.

            All of the sudden, a pair of hands grabbed me from behind, one on my mouth and one effectively pinning my arms. My eyes were wide with fear, and I struggled with all my might, but my captor was still stronger. A warm breath tickled the back of my neck, and from the slack of their grip, I could tell the person was leaning down to meet my height.

            "Dore ga anata desu ka? Yuugi desu ga, mata wa……Sono hoka no….?" Which are you? Yuugi, or….. the other…..?

            The hand covering my mouth lifted up a little so I could answer, and I told them I was Yuugi. How they knew about my other….. All my questions were answered in a single moment, however, when my captor released me and sighed in relief.

            "Yokatta….." the person stated, and this time, I recognized the voice.

            "J- Jounochi-kun! What are you doing here?!" I exclaimed, and I could tell my other was just as surprised as I was. I'm amazed he let his guard slip enough for me to tell.

            "When I got out of the classroom, this was the only place I thought to go. I'd never turn you in to the police, and technically, you're innocent, anyway. It's the other one who's……" he trailed off, both of us mourning the loss of life this past hour.

            "The one who's responsible, I know. Demo…. I- I just feel so useless, Jounochi! I- I could've stopped all that from happening!" I cried, burying my face in my hands, letting the tears just fall.

            "Shhh…. C'mon now, Yuugi. You tried, you really did; it's just, no one could stop him, that's all…. Don't go blaming yourself for something _he_ did. You have to understand-"

            "No, YOU'RE the one who doesn't understand! He did that because of ME, Jounochi! Me! All because I compared him to Kaiba-sempai…." I shouted, glaring at my only friend.

            "Y- Yuugi……" There was pain evident in his voice. Pain that I had caused with my harsh words. I turned my gaze to the dusty floor, too ashamed to look him in the eye.

            "Yuugi……" he walked over, placing comforting a hand on my back. Comfort I didn't deserve.

            "DON'T TOUCH ME!!" I yelled, slapping his hand away and meeting his gaze once more. My vision was blurred by tears now, but I could still see the hurt in his eyes. "Don't…. don't touch me…."

            The wall broke, then, and I crumbled to the floor, tears streaming down my cheeks. He paused, then kneeled beside me, wrapping me his warm embrace. He was treating me like a scared child, I knew, but at the moment, that's exactly what I was. Stroking my hair, rocking me back and forth as I cried into his shoulder, Jounochi whispered words of encouragement.

            "Shhh….. Tsuyoi ni de aru wa, Yuugi…. Tsuyoi ni de aru…." Be strong, Yuugi….. Be strong….

K: NYEARGGG!!!!! Mijikai no totemo daze!!! * (Too short!)

Y: So was the 3rd chapter…. They're still action-packed, so just deal with it, aibou…. Besides, you've been writing all day, and the only thing keeping you awake right now is caffeine! ^^;; Don't you think those new chapters and a new story are enough?!

K: ……… No.

Y: *facefault* My poor, literature-obsessed aibou….. Chotto- does that sound like I'm calling you a bookworm?

K: *glares, which is really scary when you note the large bags under her eyes* Yes.

Y: ^^;; Gomen yo! Gomen yo! What I meant was, my poor fanfic-obsessed aibou…. Ne, ne? ^^;;

K: *reverts back to her normal, sleep-deprived self* That'll work. Well, time ta post this! *changes to scary demon-zombie person* REVIEW OR ELSE!!! I WORK MY ASS OFF FOR YOU PEOPLE!!!

Y: *eyes can of Coca-cola warily* What in Ra's name is in this stuff? *reads nutrition facts label* Hmm… 39 grams of sugar…. That explains everything…..


	5. Slipping Away: sidefic 01

Konnichiwa! We decided to write a small side-story for "Mou Hitori no Boku", since everyone seems to like it so much! (Also bc/we were listening to Trust co. again… ;;;) It's sort of a Yuugi song-fic type thing where Yuugi is thinking about what Katsuya told him…. Anyhoo, enjoy! 

Ko-chan to Ya-chan

Disclaimer: Think about it for a sec- if we owned them, why would we be broke most of the time? roll eyes at lawyers' stupidity

Warnings:

K/Y: Angst. MAJOR angst. It's a side piece to "Mou Hitori no Boku", so it's to be expected, ne?

Yuugi: Are you gonna make Yami-koi hurt me again? teary-eyed

K/Y: swoon AWWWWW! Of course not! This is just what you're feeling in the fic during the ceramics classroom scene. Yami won't be hurting you at all, 'cept what he's already done emotionally….

Yuugi: sarcastic Oh, that's a relief…. runs off to go find Yami

K/Y: --;;; Since when can he be sarcastic?

Directions: Insert the lyrics to "Slipping Away" by Trust Company.

* * *

Slipping Away

* * *

-insert 1st stanza-

* * *

"Tsuyoi ni de aru desu…" Those were your exact words, right?

Tell me, how do you expect me to be strong when I feel so powerless? The guilt is overwhelming; the pain mind-numbing…… The weight on my shoulders dragging me down further with every breath. Do I have the right to live, even like this, when others, INNOCENTS aren't allowed that luxury?

Do I have the right to simply slip away….?

* * *

-insert 2nd stanza-

* * *

You told me it would be okei, Jou-kun. That everything would be 10-times easier for me now that you were here to help. Then why didn't you help me? Come to my aid when he started taking control?

Why didn't you stop him? Why did you simply run away without at least trying first? You said you'd be there! YOU SAID YOU'D HELP ME!

* * *

-insert 3rd stanza-

* * *

You let him get away with it, Jou-kun. You let him take the lives of innocents. How can you live with yourself, having done what you did, when I can't even live with myself for being too weak to do anything, no matter how I tried…..?

If it had been a different person to help, would they have stood against him? I know I told you to run if things went out of hand, but you didn't even try. You promised, PROMISED to stay by me, and yet, I had to go through it alone. Tell me, it that how you treat all your other promises?

* * *

-insert 4th stanza-

* * *

I feel empty. That's the only way I can describe it…..

Empty of all feeling; devoid of any emotion at all. It's like my mind, my heart….. my body and soul are just…. numb. All that's left is the dull ache of guilt and pain. I don't even know if I'm dreaming or not; it's just….. an endless void.

A lethal cycle that never seems to end; that's what it is. I feel the fear, fear of what he'd done. Then hatred, hatred of him. Next is the disappointment, disappointment of your actions. And last is the guilt.

Guilt because he did what he did due to me; because I couldn't keep my opinions to myself. Guilt eating away at my soul because I couldn't stop him myself. Guilt tearing me apart for ever completing the puzzle in the first place.

* * *

-insert 5th and 6th stanzas-

* * *

I counted on you, Jounochi. I counted on you to do the right thing and warn everyone about what he planned to do. You were the last resort, in case I couldn't stop him. You were their last hope.

But you failed them, Jounochi. Failed me. You broke your promise, and left me on my own to face him. It's your fault I feel this way. Your fault I can't stop crying.

* * *

-insert 7th stanza-

* * *

You're trying to make up for it by comforting me now, but that won't cut it. You caused me so much pain- deeper than any he's ever inflicted. It's one thing to be stabbed through the heart by your known enemy, but it's an entirely different thing when your best friend, your ONLY friend stabs you instead.

Just because you're my friend, I rework the logic until I'm the one at fault. I can't hate you; won't hate you, because if I did, there'd be nothing left for me. 'Kaa-chan and 'Ji-chan are too busy to care, and 'Tou-san….. Well, he never cared in the first place, did he? You're all I have left, Jou-kun… I'd just give in without you.

I resist him because I want to protect you; protect the ones I love from getting hurt. Even those I don't know, or those I'm not that fond of….. I do it for your sake; for everyone else's sake. If everyone acts in their own favor, is it really worth the pain to try to save them?

* * *

-insert 8th and 9th stanzas-

* * *

You tell me to be strong, even if you yourself aren't. I try, because I feel it is the right thing to do, but I can't hold on forever. I'm slipping, ever slowly, and the only one who can stop it from happening is my other. If he stops, I'll stop; simple as that. It's in his hands, Jounochi, and I can't do anything about it…

I still hold on, though, and will until the end. Until I slip away into the cold, unforgiving shadows…..

* * *

K: 00; Damn… That was pretty serious angst! 

Yuugi: sniffs I'm sad now….. L

Yami: hugs Yuugi Now now, aibou….. It's only a fanfic….. It can't happen….

Yuugi: Arigato, Yami-koi! kisses Yami's cheek

K/Y: swoon Aww!

Y: Anyhoo, please review, since we're working so hard to please you by updating as many days in a row as we can. After this, we'll probably only be able to update on weekends, though in writing-sprees like this or slowly crawling I don't know.

K: Please read "A Hunting We Will Go" too! We're sad 'cuz it's a funny adventure about the muses and ourselves, but no one's reviewed it yet! ;o;

K/Y: Anyhoo, until next time! Ja!


	6. Punishment

*ear-piercing screams are heard* BOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRREEEEEEEEDDDDDD!!! *both whimper* Someone save us…. Review and the aku boredom-demon will go away….

                                                                                    ~ Ko-chan to Ya-chan

**Disclaimer:** Is there Yuumi (Y/Y) in YGO? Hinting, yes…. But full-blown shounen ai like Yuugi/Katsuya? No. Thus, it's obvious we don't own it, ne?

**Warning:** The twisted mind of Bakura yami…. The 'punishment session'….*shrug* It's a boredom-induced chapter…. Read with caution.

**Mou Hitori no Boku: Chobatsu**

**The Other Me: Punishment**

                He lost them. The foolish brat lost them. Yes, he was sure to find pain and burning humiliation knocking at his door once we moved to a more remote location…. Yes indeed….

            I ordered my pathetic vassal to stop, since we'd obviously lost track of them, considering I couldn't sense that asshole of a pharaoh anymore. He skidded to a halt, and as he caught his breath, I scanned the area for any sign of human life. Satisfied no one was around for a ½ mile or so, I dragged the pitiful boy to the mind-plane.

            "You failed…." I hiss, grabbing him by the front of his dress shirt.

            "G- gomen yo…. O- onegai…." he whimpered; a sound that would surely move any other, though not one with a heart of cold, unfeeling stone.

            Tightening my grip, I lifted him off the ground a few inches, effectively cutting off his air supply. "Please? Please, what? Have mercy?"

            I let out a cruel laugh, lowering the boy to his feet, though not loosening my grip in the least. I pulled him close; close enough to whisper in his ear. Close enough for him to hear what I said next.

            "Not a chance, _hikari_…." I stated, my voice dripping with sarcasm at the very word.

            I threw him to the ground, then; delighting in the cry of pain he emitted. Before he could rise, I grabbed him by the collar of his school blazer, preparing to throw him again. The foolish boy struggled in my grip, wresting himself out of the navy jacket and running as far as he could before I could catch him again.

            Tossing the crinkled article of clothing to the side, I calmly walked toward where my vassal huddled in a corner of the dark hall. Upon reaching him, I jerked him up and slammed him into the wall, smirking as he cried out once more.

            Again and again I beat him, using the hard, cold wall of shadow to my advantage. Slowly, perhaps even without my knowledge, the shoving turned to rough kisses, and I pinned him up against the wall. When we parted, I lifted up my right hand, stroking his left cheek. Once, twice, the third time I slashed my nails hard against the soft flesh, leaving a thin slit that dripped crimson.

            I lightly touched my tongue-tip to the fresh wound, reveling in the exotic metal taste. The boy shuddered beneath me, backing as far away from me as he could…. Not that he could get very far, pressed against me like this….

            Shifting my arms so I could trap him with only one of them, I used my free hand to unbutton the first 4 clips of his shirt, roughly claiming his lips as I did. My vassal whimpered through the kiss, his eyes squeezed shut tightly, tears making their way down his pale face.

            Pulling away, I licked the salty droplets from his skin, running over the thin cut a few times as well. The mortal whimpered again, and more tears fell.

            "Y- yamete…. Stop….. P- please….." he moaned, his voice trembling.

            I nearly claimed his lips once more, but just as his shuddering, ragged breath tingled against my own mouth, a jolt of a familiar trace energy sparked my senses to life. It was him- pharaoh…. I was sure of it….

            I pulled my head back, gazing steadily into frightened crystal orbs. "You got lucky…."

            I shoved him against the wall one last time, then turned and walked calmly down the hall. ½ way down it, I stopped and glared at him over my shoulder. 

"I found them. And if you lose them again, I'll pick up where we left off, understand?" I hissed, and he nodded mutely in response.

His image faded back into the darkness, and I felt our body start to move again. Focusing my energies, I pinpointed the direction my prey was in. I ordered my vassal to run in that direction, and soon our feet were moving in a steady, bouncing rhythm.

The boy stopped in front of a worn building, hesitantly trying the door. It was open, though the room was dark, and he stepped inside. I used the faintest form of shadow magic to cloak our footsteps, directing him to a second door on the other side of the room. He opened this, too, and we came face to face with the weak vassal of my nemesis.

Quickly taking over for my light half, I chuckled darkly, gaining the attention of pharaoh's slave and his lanky friend. The first turned a pair of frightened violet eyes in my direction, the other a burning amber glare. The second pushed the other behind him, trying to protect him from this new intruder. Ha- did he really expect that to work against _me_?!

"Hello, you're the pharaoh's little slave, ne? And you, the guard dog?" The blonde growled, annoyed at the degrading term.

I smirked and stated. "It's no use. I'll kill you both, either way…."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Holy friggin' Ra! O.o;; This chapter's dark, racy, AND warped…. Remind us not to write in Bakura's twisted POV again…. ;;

Of course, those of you who _liked_ it this way….. feel free to say so. We don't care if you peeps flame or criticize or what- we just want reviews…. Flames will be used as a basis for improvement the next time…. That, and firing our latest creation in the school kiln. We were so bored we made a statue of a sleeping Sonic the Hedgehog… Considering we suck at doing anything involving and making models of animals, we think it sucks and doesn't look like him at all…. Someone said it was okei though, so…. *both shrug* Don'na ni demo….

Anyhoo, review or we'll sick the ever-twisted yami 'Kura here on your sorry ass…. You've been warned…. *notice Bakura's sitting in the corner polishing a flame-thrower* Where'd he- @@;;;

                                                            ~ Ko-chan to Ya-chan


	7. Heart?

K: Banzai! ^0^ Ra bless Linkin' Park songs!!

Y: ^^; What aibou means is, thanks to our Hybrid Theory cd, we were able to find an angsty zone so we could write this next chappie!

Yuugi: Demo sa, demo sa…. It's another sidefic/songfic thing…. UU Yami-koi yells at me again! : (

K/Y: *pat Yuugi on the back* Daijoubu, daijoubu! At least he doesn't try to _rape_ you like _SOME_ people…. *glare at Yami B aka Bakura*

Bakura: *blink blink, glare* Nani miteru no?! What're YOU looking at?! *scowls* My hikari's hot, okei?! *stomps off*

Ryou: *blink blink* He thinks I'm hot?

Da-chan: *pops up randomly bc/if she didn't she'd kill us for sure* He's not the only one!! ^________^ *glomps Ryou*

Ryou: ???? Demo sa, demo sa…. Kimi ga yami desho…. but… you're a yami…

Da-chan: *points to Bakura* He's already taken….

Bakura: *freaking out as Da-chan's aibou, Mashida, tries to rip off his shirt* Nande kuso?! Anata ga hikari dai yo!! what the hell?! You're a hikari!!

Mashida: So? *succeeds in ripping off the shirt* Wai! Wai! Sekushi bishonen dai yo!! Yay! Sexy guy!! *glomps Bakura's waist*

Bakura: *right eye twitches* Na… nande kuso…?! what the hell?!

**Disclaimer:** We dun own 'One Step Closer' or YGO. If we did, there'd be a helluva lot more money in our wallets…. *point to red wallet with only 7 bucks in it*

**Warnings:** Excessive swearing, violence, and angsty goodness… X9 Yummy!

Mou Hitori no Boku: Shinzo ka? 

**The Other Me: Heart?**

****

****

_~_**_I cannot take this anymore  
I'm saying everything I've said before  
All these words they make no sense  
I find bliss in ignorance  
Less I hear the less you'll say  
But you'll find that out anyway  
Just like before...~_**

****

****

            _"It's no use. I'll kill you both, either way…"_ The casual threat rolled off his tongue as if he'd killed all his life…

            Kami, I hope that isn't true…. Although, since he knows of the spirit, and calls him by the title 'pharaoh', that possibility is more than likely….

            Narou…! Why does this shit keep happening to _me_?! Did I piss someone off majorly up there or something?! I mean, really!

            First there's my 'family problems' and the fact they both beat me up until about a year or so ago, then, when I _finally_ get some slack, Mr. Oiishiri-Pharaoh here comes along and beats me some more! If that weren't enough already, he 'teaches me a lesson' by blowing up my classmates, I get chased down by some guy I don't even _know_, and he bursts in and says he's gonna KILL ME!!!

            Grrrrrrrrr….. THIS IS SO UNFAIR, DAMMIT!!!!!

            I don't even want to know how he knows the asshole sharing my body. I'm probably better off NOT knowing… Maybe it's better to just let him kill me so it'll all be fricking over and DONE with!!

            //DON'T YOU __DARE__!!// the spirit screams, and I just can't take this anymore.

            /GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!!! I'M _RANTING,_ DAMMIT!!!!/

            Well, that shut him up…. Perhaps I should try going AWOL more often?

**_~Everything you say to me  
Takes me one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break  
I need a little room to breathe  
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break~_**

****

          Yep- I'm dead. Even if we somehow escape this evil bastard in front of us, my darkness will probably kill me for talking back… Shimatta. Could my life get ANY WORSE?!

          Please, someone just shoot me and put me out of my misery! If this is as good as my life's gonna get, I really don't think I'll miss it that much… Sure, I'll miss Jounochi, and _maybe_ Kaa-chan and Ji-chan, but they'll just forget me after a while anyway, so I guess that's it. It's not like _my_ opinions and feelings matter to anyone…

          //Oh, get over it, you sniveling, whiny little shit! Even if I might not like it, I'm stuck with you, so GET YOUR ASS UP AND STOP BITCHING!!!!//

          I flinch at the harsh tone, but reluctantly rise from the dusty floor. He _did_ have a point… We _were_ stuck together, though exactly why, I have no clue. He obviously despises me, seeing me as only a host body, a vessel, and takes every chance he can to beat the living shit out of me….

          Couldn't he be just a _bit_ more understanding? Oh no, wait- he can't, because he grew up to be a heartless asshole. Figures, with my rotten, crappy luck, that I'd be the one to get him….

          I wonder briefly what might've made him get so evil, but quickly dismiss the thought. He'd probably never tell me, and besides, I was better off not knowing, right?

**_~I find the answers aren't so clear  
Wish I could find a way to disappear  
All these thoughts they make no sense  
I find bliss in ignorance  
Nothing seems to go away  
Over and over again  
Just like before...~_**

****

And so, I'm all the way back to square one. Funny how your thoughts always seem to lead back to where they first started….

            //SHUT _UP_ ALREADY!!! NO ONE _CARES_!!!!!//

            I send my 'other' a mental glare. /Sure someone does… _I_ care. And no, I won't shut up- it's MY MIND, not yours, so I can think whatever the hell I WANT to!!!/

            Uh-oh…. That probably made him pissed…. Crap. Crap, crap, crappity, crap crap crap….. He's pissed.

            //You DARE to tell me what to do?!// he hisses, and I feel the pure rage harbored toward my being.

            Gulping a little, and deciding I was as good as dead already, I decided to risk it. /Well, I may as well have something GOOD happen to me before I die… I always heard revenge was the best thing that could ever happen to a tortured soul…./

            I paused, then added, /….aside from salvation, that is…. But no one'd _ever_ let me have _that_…./

**_~Everything you say to me  
Takes me one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break  
I need a little room to breathe  
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break  
Everything you say to me  
Takes me one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break  
I need a little room to breathe  
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break  
Break break break break break  
  
shut up when I'm talking to you  
shut up shut up shut up   
shut up when I'm talking to you  
shut up shut up shut up shut up  
I'm about to break~_**

****

          There's an uncomfortable silence, and a faint glimmer of feeling pushes through our link. I'm speechless as I recognize the ephemeral hint of emotion- it was… respect? No- admiration? Can't be… I concentrate on the last few options, and finally come up with a single conclusion…

          …It was pride. But why the hell would he be proud of my backtalk?

          //Stupid, brainless fool….. If I were to kill you, I'd be stuck in that damn puzzle again…// he pauses for a moment, almost hesitant, and another twinge of emotion filters through; this time, I recognize it right off the bat, having constantly felt it all my life….

          ….Fear.

          I subconsciously draw myself within the soul room, and stare wide-eyed at the one who'd caused me such pain this past year. This monster, as I've grown accustomed to seeing him as such, could _feel_. He could be afraid of something, just like anyone else…

          …He had a heart. As cold and black as it was, it was there….

          He shuddered, something I never thought was possible, and continued, his gaze on the golden trinket he held in his hands. "I hated it in there… I absolutely hated it… More than anything else I've ever felt…."

          The next moment, as if he realized just what he was doing, he jerked his head up and glared at me. All traces of the humane, lost boy from before were gone- buried deep within the walls that bound his heart.

          "You'd _better_ survive, boy…. If you don't, I swear I'll find a way to torture your soul for all eternity…."

          With that, he banished me back to the real world, and I scooted back from the sadistic, homicidal maniac blocking the door. How did he expect me to get out of _this_?!

**_~Everything you say to me  
Takes me one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break  
I need a little room to breathe  
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break  
Everything you say to me  
Takes me one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break  
I need a little room to breathe  
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break~_**

****

          I scanned the room, searching frantically for any means of escape, any way at all that could increase our chances of surviving. All at once, my eyes locked on a new door; one that had been hidden in the corner and painted white so that it nearly blended into the wall. I sneak over to it while the stranger is busy fighting with Jounochi, and place a hand on the handle.

          As if an answer to my prayers, it was open. As a bonus, it led to an area outside where the students set their work to dry, meaning we could actually get out of the building and keep him from coming this way if we jammed the door with one of the benches.

          "Jounochi-kun!!" I cry, grabbing his sleeve and pointing to the now-open door.

          He nodded, shoving us both through and slamming the door, kicking a bench under it so it jammed the handle. A loud string of curses filtered through the inch-thick wood; or at least, they sounded like curses. Our attacker spoke in a strange, foreign tongue, something other than English, since I would've understood him after taking up through English 4. No- this was something entirely different.

          All thoughts disappeared as Katsuya grabbed my hand, racing off toward the school in the distance. It wouldn't be long before he was on our tails again, since we hadn't locked the front door. Sure enough, as we crossed the halfway point of the track field, a white gleam of hair burst forth from the ceramics building, heading our way.

          As we reached the first row of buildings, a pair of hands shot out and grabbed both of us, pulling us into an empty classroom before the person locked the door behind them. We turned to face him, ready for the worst, but froze when the heavy steps of the white-haired boy passed by.

          Once the coast was clear, we continued our 180 degree turn, and came face-to-face with someone we never expected….

          "…Kaiba-sempai?!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

K: Well, that was pretty different…

Y: Yeah, Yuugi went AWOL….

K: *glares* Not THAT, I meant the layout!! It's a chapter, but still has a song in it just like the side story!

Y: Oh… THAT…. ^^; Yeah, that's different too….

K: *rolls eyes* ANYWAY, I hope you guys liked this chapter a lot better than the… *shudders, then glares pointedly at Bakura, who's still being hugged to death by Mashida* … _last_ one…..

Y: *notices her aibou's not gonna say anything else for a while, since she's started a glaring contest with Bakura* ^^;; Ano sa…. Review, onegai? We haven't been getting many lately, even if we DID add another chappie to "Strip Tease"…. IT'S ANZU BASHING FOR RA'S SAKE!!! DON'T YOU PEOPLE _CARE_?! *starts ranting for a while and doesn't notice Dai posting the fic for them*


	8. Tainted Wisdom

K: Awww… We're sorry! Did we leave you guys on an evil cliffie last time? *mocking grin*

Y: *scowls* Oya, oya- *pokes her aibou* Do your f-ing homework…

K: *pouts, but walks away and goes to do it, grumbling about 'f-ing weather graphs'* Fine…

Y: Ain't she too cute when she's pissed? ^-~ *rubs hands together excitedly* BWA HA HA HA HA!!! _MY_ TURN!!! *types furiously on the keyboard*

**Disclaimer:** Would they have put Katsuya with Yuugi if we owned it? *points to giant fanart piccy she and Ko-chan drew of demon Yami nearly kissing Yuugi with the words 'With the right motivation, even good boys go bad' written behind them* HELL NO!!

**Warnings:** If you don't know the standard by now, why are you f-ing here?

Mou Hitori no Boku: Chie no Oten da Na 

**The Other Me: Tainted Wisdom**

****

****

            Well, this is a surprise, to say the least… Saved by KAIBA-SEMPAI, of all people! NO ONE could've predicted _that_… Chotto- why is he here anyway? I thought he left just before the… incident…

            "K- Kaiba?! What are YOU doing here?!" Jounochi exclaimed, a bit suspicious… 

Okei, maybe that's an understatement…. How about so suspicious he was pinning him to the door? I sweatdropped a little, but blinked when I noticed Kaiba-kun staring at me from over Katsuya's arm. I blushed faintly at his piercing gaze, but he didn't waver in the slightest. In fact, I could've sworn I saw a trace of amusement in his cerulean eyes…

"A- ano sa… N- nani o shite imasu ka, Kaiba-sempai…?" Um.. What are you doing, Upperclassman Kaiba…? I questioned timidly, Kami-sama, I sound so weak! Then again, the look he was giving me made me shiver- it was scaring me…

He grinned, making a chill run down my spine. "Daijoubu ga, Yuugi? You got out okei, ne? Are you okay, Yuugi?

/As fine as a guy being possessed half the time by someone who constantly beats him can be…/ I snorted, hearing a dark chuckle in return.

//Still aren't finished bitching, mortal?//

Why oh why wouldn't he just leave me the hell alone already?! I sigh, then nod in answer to Kaiba's earlier question.

"I'm as well physically as any other day, if that's what you mean…"

The brunette frowned, pretty much ignoring Jou-kun and focusing on me. I'm sure Jounochi doesn't like that, and would most likely get angry at any other time, but, after hearing my answer, all thoughts of revenge are pushed aside and he turns to me with worried eyes.

"Kare o ni ga gen'in de, ne?" Because of _him_, right?

I nod, and Kaiba-kun raised an eyebrow. "Who is this guy you keep talking about? You said something about him before, so who is he?"

I opened my mouth to speak, then shut it. If I told someone else about the spirit, would he hurt me again? He was going to anyway for telling Jou-kun, so, if I upset him even more, even after all the backtalk, by doing this….. I winced at the thought, a tear slipping down my cheek.

….Would he fulfill his promise? The one he made in anger oh-so-long ago? The promise of something even worse than death?

Katsuya must have noticed my uneasiness, maybe even guessed exactly what I'd been thinking; a moment after the thought crossed my mind, he glared at Kaiba-kun and told him to drop it. The haunting gaze left me, an angry one replacing it as they turned to my only tomodachi.

"I have a _right_ to know, don't you think, inu?! Oh, wait- you _can't_ think, now can you?!" he spat, and that was the last straw for Katsuya.

A loud noise echoed through the classroom, filling the air with a thick tension. Rage-filled eyes locked with surprised blue ones, and Jou let his right hand rest on the door once more. It was then that my mind processed what had happened…

… He'd slapped him.

"Kiisama… bastard Did you ever think about how _Yuugi_ feels? That he's too afraid of all this shit to even _think_ about telling someone else? That if he does, he'll most likely be punished even _more_?!" his voice was low and cold as ice- this was a side of him I've never seen before.

"J- Jounochi…" Kaiba raised a hand to his reddened cheek, staring wide-eyed at the strange boy whom Katsuya had become.

I looked on, with much the same feeling as the upperclassman, but my vision blurred; my eyelids drooping slowly shut. All that running must have worn me out more than I'd thought… The world turns dark as I crumple to the linoleum floor, and the last thing I heard was Jou-kun's frantic voice as he rushed over, calling my name.

~*~

            I shivered as I got up, scanning the shadows of my mind fearfully. He was here- I could sense it. Gathering what courage I had left, I called out into the darkness.

            "Kimi wa doko dai yo?!" Where are you?

            The cruel laughter I've grown so accustomed to sounded from somewhere behind me, and I whipped around, gasping as I came face to face with the object of my nightmares. He silenced me with a finger to my lips, and I drew back slightly- his hands were so cold!

            Before I could try to run, he grabbed my forearms, pulling me to him again. His face grew stern, and I was certain he'd beat me within an inch of death. What he said next, however, caught me by surprise.

            "You insult me, you disobey me, you try to get rid of me, and you even have the _nerve_ to talk back…" he spat, gripping my arms tighter with every penalty he ticked off the list.

            His nails dug deep into my skin, piercing through and letting blood drip down into the shadows. My eyes watered at the pain, mixed with my own terrible fear, and I clenched them shut, turning my head away. His cold fingers brushed the tears that fell away a moment later, then firmly gripped my chin and moved me back in place.

            "I should strike you down until you beg for death…"

            My eyes snapped open, and I trembled in fear before him, breath coming in short gasps. "Shikashi…." however…

            His right thumb ran across my lips, tainting them like potent venom marks a snake's prey. I shivered in his grasp, eyes closing a moment before I gazed at him with uncertainty. What did he mean? Why wasn't he going to punish me?

            "You escaped the enemy with your life, sparing me the fate of an eternity within the puzzle, and for that, I will now spare you from the punishment I had planned. Be glad that you accomplished this, vessel, for if you had not, I would have treated you to what I'd warned you of before…."

            He paused, trailing a finger down my cheek and neck; showing me exactly what he'd meant all along. I stood, frozen, thanking whatever supernatural entity had spared me from forcibly losing the last of my innocence. My mind, however, would be forever tainted with this discovery.

            "Rest- you will need to if you hope to tell that bastard your story tomorrow…" he commanded, then disappeared into the shadows.

            I stared at where he'd last been, blinking as a shining white light broke through the mist. I walked over, finding it came from a door, and peeked inside. There were silver walls and drapes everywhere I looked, and a large four-poster bed lie against the wall to the right. It too was covered with the grayish tinted fabric, fluffy pillows and comforter drawing one to sleep within.

            Obeying the hypnotic call, I slipped inside, closing my eyes and snuggling into the warm blankets and drifting off. Right before sleep claimed me completely, I could've sworn a pair of soft lips brushed against my left cheek, but it surely must have been a dream…

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K: *holds up finished homework* OWARI DA~!!! ^_______^ *blinks as she looks over her yami's shoulder at the screen, then frowns* Oya, oya- you wrote it without me!! *pouts*

Y: Aa~ you can write the next one, ne? ^-~

K: *thinks about it* Well…. ^____^ Okei! *runs off to put her homework away*

Y: T-;; That was easy…. *inspects her aibou's workspace*

*There are several bowls of green tea icecream, an empty can of soda, and a plate of sliced onions that were obviously picked off a slice or 2 of pizza*

Y: --;; Figures…. *turns to readers* There seems to be a lot of cussing in this story, ne? We were wondering if you think we should up the rating… We'll never write a lemon, for sure, so if it were rated higher, it'd be for violence, profanity, and suggestive content (hinting at near-rape/past rape/ect.) due to the yamis…. 

*shrugs* Either way, it's your guys' choice… Even if you wouldn't be able to read R-rated fics, you could probably still read this one…. It's not that bad… Tell us what you think, k? Ja!


	9. Explanation

K: *groans* Arg….! *coughs* We're SICK, the week of VALENTINES' DAY, of all things!! ;

Y: At least we have plenty of time to write this, ne?

K: *glares* Kheper ger, Ya-chan….

Y: Heh heh… ^^;; *stares out the window* Eh???

K: *looks out it too* --; My brother's an ass….

Y: ^^; What's with the purple dragon kite? *watches as they attempt to get it out of the tree*

K: *rolls eyes* That won't work… No hand/footholds….  *watches as her brother tries to climb up* --; What did I JUST say?!

Y: ^^; Yep- he's an ass….

**Disclaimer:** We're usually broke. If that doesn't prove we dun own it, what DOES?!

**Warnings:** Well, we've decided to leave it as is. If people still read it after the 1st chapter, and then complain about the rating of the content 8 chapters later, why the hell did they read all of it in the first place?

Mou Hitori no Boku: Setsumei Suru 

**The Other me: Explanation**

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            I watched as the frail body of my best friend slept, wondering what nightmares he might be facing all alone in there. He's stuck there with that monster, and I can't do a damn thing about it. Dammit, I HATE THIS!!

            I promised I'd be there for him, that I wouldn't let that bastard hurt him anymore… And yet, in his time of need, I simply turned tail and ran; ran away and left him all by himself…

            I sigh, running a hand through my messy hair as I watched the blanket rise and fall with every breath he took. "God, I'm such an ass…."

            "No objections there, inu…"

            I turn and glare at the figure in the doorframe, but it takes more effort than I'm capable of right now, so I let it drop and shrug instead. Kaiba strolls in, pulling up a second chair and glancing at the figure wrapped up in the blankets. I raise an eyebrow when he lets his gaze linger, then clear my throat. I don't like the look he's giving Yuugi- it holds way too much lust…

            To my relief, he turns to me, defiling Yuugi's innocence no longer. "Nande ga hoshii desu ka, inu?" What do you want, dog?

            Not knowing what to say, I blurt the first thing that comes to mind. "Why'd you take us here? You must have other things to do, ne?"

            Sugei- that's pretty good for something off the top of my head… Apparently, he thought so too, since he takes a while before answering.

            "I'm curious as to what really happened. Why would Yu- ano… Mutou-san act like that? Why would he kill his own classmates? He doesn't seem the homicidal type…" 

There was no malice or spite in his words, though I was still suspicious as ever. Why would Mr. Smartass almost call Yuugi by his first name? Didn't he think it was 'too low' for his tastes?

"That's all?" I press- there was some other reason he was hiding… Something having to do with Yuugi….

He fixed me with an angry leer, snorting and turning back to the person in question. He was afraid to tell me, whatever it was, and it would take more than casual conversation to pry it out of 'im. I was about to try again, but a quiet yawn caught our attention- Yuugi was awake.

I leapt forward, clasping my tomodachi's hands. "Daijoubu ka, Yuugi?! He didn't hurt you, did he?!" Are you okei, Yuugi?

He blinked, looking around at the room before turning back to me. "Watakushi-tachi wa doko ni nanda?" Where are we?

"Kaiba Manor."

We turned to the one who had spoken, and I caught a glint of jealousy in Seto's eyes. Was he jealous of me? Why?

I looked down, noticing my hands still covered Yuugi's. So THAT was why he was being so nice… He _liked_ Yuugi… 

The pieces all fit- the daily taunts, how he'd always back down when Yuugi stepped in if we fought… Why he picked on _me_ rather than him when we were together…

Suddenly, I felt a strong urge to protect Yuugi from the CEO, and sat on the bed next to him, helping him into a sitting position so he could talk. He didn't seem to notice, leaning against me for support as he prepared to question Kaiba the same way I had. Seto, naturally, was peeved that I was touching the object of his affections, but had no time to bitch about it, as Yuugi countered his actions by asking him why he was being so courteous.

A grin plays on my lips as he shoots me a glare before telling him the same thing he told me minutes before. 

~Yeah, right….~ I thought, rolling my eyes at him.

He catches my snide look, glaring at me again while Yuugi sighs. He stopped as soon as his violet eyes open again, pretending to pay full attention to him again. Ha- this is great! I have blackmail on Seto Kaiba!

My thoughts shift to the boy in my arms, who had begun to retell his story. Kaiba was seething in rage throughout, but he was doubtful of the whole 'evil spirit' thing. After comparing the 2 personalities he'd encountered though, he slowly came to accept it. Not one for believing in the supernatural, huh?

Tired of sitting still and saying nothing, I asked Yuugi what had been bugging me for a while. "Ne, what did he do while you were asleep?"

My friend peered up at me with curious violet eyes, and he replied, "Nothing. I know- I was freaked too…"

He shivered a little, and I could tell there was something he didn't want to say. I gave him a small hug from behind, urging him on; mentally laughing at the look Seto-baka must have on his face about now.

Taking comfort in my embrace, he leaned up and whispered in my ear. What he said scared me and made my blood boil.

"He… He was going to rape me…."

I subconsciously gripped his slight form tighter, and he continued, loud enough for Kaiba to hear this time.

"He didn't though, and it makes me wonder what goes on in there…"

Yes, what _IS_ that bastard thinking? I can't believe he'd actually think of doing THAT to someone so pure… That sadistic bitch will _never_ touch Yuugi like that, not if _I_ have something to say about it….

"Didn't do what?"

~Oh yeah- Kaiba didn't hear the first part, did he? God- he'll be as pissed as I am… Maybe more…~ I thought as my best friend answered him.

"He was g- going to… THAT ASSHOLE!!" Is it just me, or do I sense a tirade coming up?

The CEO slammed a fist on the wooden bed frame, ignoring the fact it would probably bruise by tomorrow. Yep- he would probably kill the spirit on the spot if not for the fact he was dead already…

Yuugi looked on with a confused expression- probably wondering why the hell Kaiba cared that much. Speaking of which, why did he tell him anyway? Wouldn't the bastard in his head get angry and hurt him? Maybe even go through with his earlier plan of rape?

"Yuugi-kun… Won't your 'darkness' be mad you told Kaiba? I don't want him hurting you again just because of us…." I stated, mentally adding, ~I don't want him hurting you, period….~

He frowned, and for a minute, I was afraid I was right in my assumption, but he sighed. "Actually, he was the one who said I could tell him. I think… I think he's getting better or something… First, he didn't punish me, and then he let me tell you both…"

A glint sparkled in his eyes and it was almost as if I could see the gears turning in his head as he found the explanation he'd been searching for. "It's the puzzle! If I die, he gets sent back to confinement within it, and _that's_ why that other guy was trying to kill us! He must know about the spirit, maybe even have something against him from back when he was pharaoh, and was somehow able to preserve himself until he could claim revenge!"

We were all listening intently to his rambling, understanding bits and pieces and fitting them into place. He went on, eyes wide with excitement, his hands gripping the golden object that hung from the chain around his neck.

"He told me he was afraid of being sealed again; that he didn't like being in there… I survived, which means he won't be sealed again anytime soon, and _that's_ why he's being nicer now! That's why…"

He trailed off, letting the latest discovery sink in. It was like some warped form of psychology- sick and twisted into a morbid, sadistic mystery that held the key to understanding Yuugi's tormentor. The room was silent for a long time, the air so thick with tension you could cut it with a knife. 

At some point or another, the boy in my arms dropped off again, and I carefully laid him back into the pillows, tucking him in. Kaiba came over and helped, and I stared at him like a stern parent.

"Do you really care about him, or are you just thinking of using him? He's been through enough already- more than most people years older could take in a dozen lifetimes… He doesn't need to add heartache and betrayal to the list…"

He turned to me, determination blazing in those cerulean pools of his. "I would _never_ hurt Yuugi… I want to protect him from all this as much as you do. And if… If he doesn't want to be with me that way, I'll respect his decision. I just want him to be happy- no matter what acts of jealousy I'd partaken in beforehand…"

I nodded- understanding him completely. I felt much the same way… I have since I first poured my heart out to the violet-eyed angel. I never told him though, afraid it might push him away and leave us both alone again.

I smiled at Seto, nodding and holding out my right hand across the bed. "Me too."

He stared at my hand, then smiled slightly in return and shook it. "As long as he's happy…"

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K: *yawns and stretches* Finally! I'm finished!

Y: *reads over chapter* You just _had_ to spoil the perfect angsty atmosphere, didn't you? --;

K: Hey- there's still angst! Seto and Katsuya are both afraid of telling Yuugi their feelings! A truce, yet both rivals of love! *strikes a pose*

Y: --;; The Niquil screwed your mind up again, didn't it?

K: Heh heh…. ^^;; I can't help it?

Y: *sighs and shakes her head*


	10. Take Back to Hell: sidefic 02

Well, we were checking out the lyrics to the new Daredevil soundtrack (even if we dun have it…. Yet…) and came across this one. Can't remember the name of it right now, but it sure as 'ell fits this story! - - Enjoy! 

Ko-chan to Ya-chan

Disclaimer: If you make us say it ONE MORE TIME….! hold up wicked looking chain w/a metal tooth-shaped pendant at the end Yes, FEAR the almighty kunai with chain we made! close up of chain: it's a chain from a jean skirt and the pendant's from one of those vending machines from Raley's (Actually, it DOES work… as a letter opener…. ; ;)

Warnings: stare at people actually asking this like they're as idiotic as Anzu Are you serious? roll their eyes Ah well, better warn you anyway- it's another warped mind o' Baku-chan chappie….(Even if it is just another sidefic/songfic….)

Bakura: NANDE S'TEI! wields mighty flamethrower of doom

K: Ya-chan, you want to, or should I?

Y: Go ahead… I'll call Da-chan to Mashida….

K: nods and turns to Bakura, eyes gleaming This gon' be FUUUUUUN….. XPP

Bakura: blink blink Oh shi- whapped by Ko-chan and knocked unconscious

K: - Told you the kunai worked!

Directions: Insert the lyrics to "Take Back to Hell" by ? (Daredevil Soundtrack)

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Mou Hitori no Boku: Jigoku ni Kaesu 

The Other Me: Take Back to Hell

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-insert 1st stanza-

* * *

Pharaoh… You may have escaped me this time, but I swear- the next, you will not be so lucky. I have taught my pathetic vessel a lesson for letting you get away, and now he knows never to invoke my wrath again.

You WILL pay for all that you've done to me. Not even the gods could stop me from attaining the ultimate revenge…. You took them away from me, spilling their blood so as to lure me into your trap… For that, I will never forgive you. My brothers and sisters among thieves, I will avenge your deaths, even if I must stalk after him until the end of time…

* * *

-insert 2nd stanza-

* * *

I rise to my feet, glaring down at the pained look on my hikari's face. He was shivering with cold in the darkness of the abyss, his pale, exposed flesh almost glowing faintly as he huddled in the corner. Crimson was splattered all over his shiny, silver hair; the tips the same tainted shade of blood.

He whimpered and curled around himself tighter as he caught my gaze, eyes showing the very depths of his fragile soul. Such innocence disgusted me, and I turned, striding from the room. I hated that look- that's why I always did this. Why I always defiled his very soul….

For I had once held the same, naïve look. Had once been just as bright and carefree… Yet now, I am but a hollow husk of hate and vengeance… A weary, battered essence that simply longed for sleep, but was deprived of it.

YOU made me this way, pharaoh… And it is you who will pay in the end. Even as you weave your bitter lies and feign greatness, it is you who will fall. If I am to go, I'm sure as hell taking you with me….

* * *

-insert 3rd stanza-

* * *

So run while you can…. Play your little games with the host that you possess… It won't be long until his childish heart will drip blood within my hands, sealing you within the same damnation you yourself created.

Go- live your final days to their fullest, for my face will be the last thing you'll ever see… And as the ancient magic draws you forth into the shadows of eternity, it is my face that shall haunt you forever, driving you to wild insanity.

And then, and only then, will you know the pain and suffering you hath caused me over these countless millennia…

* * *

-insert 4th stanza-

* * *

I'll save you a seat in Hell, pharaoh….

* * *

K: blinks That was…. Short…. oO; 

Y: Kinda sad, considering it's a song for the latest blockbuster…. shakes head

K: Aww, poor Bakura! hugs Baku-chan Your past is so saaaaaad! ;o;

Bakura: XC still K.O.ed

Mashida: races over and wrenches the darkling from Ko-chan's grasp Iya! MINE! hisses

K/Y: o.O; o.O;

Mashida: huggles unconscious yami B


	11. Unusual Feelings

K: WAAAAAAAAA~! GOMEN DAI YO!!! *bows and begs for mercy* Gomen for not updating over 8 days!!!!! ^^;;

Y: We were EXTREMELY busy (some…. important events happened…. ^-~ *cough* GETTINGAPS2 *cough* ^^) and had writers' block throughout. We still have it now, and we're basically winging it through this chapter, but hell- we usually wing every chapter anyway…. ^^;

K: BTW, due to the request of one of our reviewers, we'll be trying not to come up with any new stories, even though we have 2 ideas swimming around in the murky koi pond outside…. Instead, we're trying to upload new chappies of what we already have, so it might take longer between updates, okei? *grovels* DUN HURT US!!!

Y: I know we promised an update a day, but we've got an assload of work to do lately, not to mention a writers' block the size of Stonehenge… ; 

Dai: *nod nod* Give 'em a break, kudasai… I REEEALLY dun want them to randomly draw me with angel wings again in hopes of new ideas…. --; *grumbles* I dun even HAVE wings….! Why the hell do they always DRAW me with them?! Why don't they go pick on Aete?! *glomps Naito, who is currently on rent from Merodi no Yami* I need to spend all this precious time with Naito!

Naito: *glares* Get. The. HELL. Off.

Dai: *glomps him even more, hearts in his eyes because of the attire Merodi no Yami made Naito wear (black leather pants and no shirt)* Merodi, I think I might be a bi character now, cuz' I LOVE YOU!!!! *huggles Naito* But I think I like you more, Naito-chaaaaaan! ^-~

Naito: --; Aibou, when this is over, I'm sooooooo gonna…..

Aete: *cuts him off and returns to the original question* Because I'm the cute one who looks like Takeru from DGM season 2 when I'm young….

K: Actually, we like Dai-chan better, that's why… He's a smartass punk though, so I have no clue about the angel wings….

Aete: UU;

Y: Speaking of drawings, we finally got a scanner, and we're trying to figure out how to post piccies here on the web. We have a title page for this fic, but the color's all f-ed up, since our pens suck like 'ell…. --; --; (We drew fanart for you too, Merodi no Yami!! The scanner's being a baka though!! UU;)

Naito: If anyone has any idea how to post pics on the net, tell them how in your reviews, k? *rolls eyes* Someone PLEASE tell the baka temes so they'll shut up!!! *looks down at Dai and growls* I TOLD YOU, _GET THE HELL OFF_!!!!!!!

Dai: ^______________^ *huggles him even more*

Naito: --; Aibou, you're soooooo gonna pay…..

**Disclaimer:** K/Y: *glare* We're having fun with our new scanner and PS2, dun ruin our happiness by asking us for these f-ing disclaimers….

Dai: UU; They dun own THEM, but they own ME…. Life is so unfair when you're a manga character….

K/Y: *hit Dai over the head with a cake pan* Quit whining!!

**Warnings:** Do we really have to tell you by now? It HAS been 10 chapters…. *sigh* Oh, fine. XP Shonen ai (cuz' we're addicted to it), gore (cuz' the yamis are psycho), OOC (cuz' it's AU and we wanted Yami to act like an a-hole for the sake of angst), randomness (cuz' we're winging it like any other chapter), and profanity. (cuz' we can't help our bad habit in a house of gossips)

**Side note:** This is the last chappie of "Season One". The next season is entitled "Mou Hitori no Jinkaku", or "The other Personality". Here's the link to it: (the usual ff.net address) storyid=1274150. Thanks for supporting us throughout this season, and hope you'll all come back for the next! ^-~ ^-~

Also, we promised we'd advertise some fans' stories, so here goes- Please go read Chrissy430's HP fanfic if you like Harry-is-Draco's-brother-type fics, or if you like Yuumi (Y&Y) and don't mind sexy OC's (Dai: NAITO-CHAAAAAN~!! *glomps Naito* Naito: --* GET THE HELL OFF ME!!!!!) and the like, please check out Merodi no Yami's fanfic, whose link (to her page) is available on our fave authors list. (the fic's called "Destinies of the Past"!!) Arigato!

Mou Hitori no Boku: Mare na Kankaku Desu 

**The Other Me: Unusual Feelings**

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            Strange…. I don't think there's any other word for it. Simply put, whatever feelings I had once felt had lessened greatly, replaced by and emotion that I cannot understand for the death of me…. Shit, now it's affected my sadistic sense of humor…. DAMN IT ALL TO THE REALM OF SETH!!

I sigh, rubbing my temples as I sit atop my eternal throne of shadows. Things had been going so well- I was slowly gaining power, the fucking tomb robber failed again, and I got to blow up a large group of semi-innocents…. Had that really only been yesterday? It seems like so much has gone by in such a short amount of time…

Though, perhaps, it really had. I've gone from top bastard from hell to….to some confused, pathetic, WEAKLING who won't even demand what he wants, and by all means, _should_ have the rights to. How could my emotions suddenly become so very fucked up? And all because of _him_, too?!

Taking my hands from my head, I glance up at the silvery door, a sliver of light peeking out from the bottom crack. I make my way over to it, using concealing magic to cover the otherwise loud creak of the door. A second later, I realize exactly what I've done. Why the hell should I care if the bastard wakes up or not? Shit- I can't even bring myself to call him anything worse anymore… even when it's just me, alone in my own thoughts… 

I walk to his bedside, running a hand over the intricate carvings in the wooden bed frame. Strange, how his soul could be so bare and empty…so very much like my own…. He did not harbor as much hatred and despair, though, and you could tell, if you knew where to look. Everything was merely bathed in a grayish light, not black, as mine had come to be oh so long ago…. And yet…

My hand brushed over something I had yet to recognize, and I peered ever-closer, trying to discover what the hell it was. It had 4 long, thin arms, and twisted, ugly wings to match- a parasite dragon? Yes- I could see it clearly now; a grotesque, lizard-like body, and a massive, pulsing brain. Bits and pieces of it were missing, showing it to be the deadly, rotted corpse of dark dragons long since passed…. 

But, why would such a thing be depicted here, of all places? The others seemed to represent the mythic forms of those he knew, and even a wyrm had been etched into the wood to show, perhaps, the tomb robber? Yet, there was none that seemed to have been made to be _my_ counterpart… Could it be that this was how he saw me? As some terrible monster, ever haunting his tortured soul?

            Well, how can I blame him, really? After all I've done to him, it's only natural for him to see me as an eternal evil. Hell, it's what I wanted, right? Right?

            Gazing down upon his softened features, my mind reeled in inner turmoil. No- that isn't what I want. At one point in time, it might have been, but not now… But… If not, then what _do_ I want?

            I want power, for one thing, but now, all my plans for domination didn't seem to matter as much…. I know I wanted this boy's body, in more ways than one, but if so, why didn't I just take him when I had the chance… Any chance…. I could right now, if I wanted to, but… something's holding me back…

            …That strange new emotion. That's what it was. That's why my whole world has gone to pot and all these fucked up thoughts and ideas are flying through my mind…. Because of it… 

Because of _him_…. There's just something about him that triggers it, whatever the hell 'it' is… After all, I wouldn't spare him just because he saved me from the confines of the puzzle, would I? Not any other mortal…. But this was different, this was _him_…

            Okei, I think we've established the fact that whatever the hell this _thing_ is, it has something to do with the boy sleeping in front of me. Maybe I should just wake the little f-….ah, hell…_brat_… up, and demand an explanation… Maybe I should just forget the whole damn thing and try to ignore it…

            But then… I don't think I could. I mean, I've kissed him once, in his sleep, and I'd been gentle- something I never thought I could ever be again. Whatever I'm feeling, it's not lust, since I'd have taken him long ago if that were the case… No, not lust… then, love? I don't know if I _can_ love… I never have… well, once, but that was much, much different…. That was the love of a mother and son, respect of bloodline, rather, and not of 2 lovers…

            Lovers…. Is that what I want so badly? To be regarded as someone he can count on to protect him, to care for him in a way neither of us ever has been?

            I subconsciously gaze down at his soft, rosy lips, and press my own against them in a light, feathery kiss. Pulling back, I noticed the slight frown he'd held before had melted into a content smile, and, puzzled by my own actions, I slip through the door and back to my own realm of shadows.

            Brushing a hand across my mouth, I noticed they tingled with some sort of energy, though I sensed no magic other than my own. Again placing my hands to my temples as I lie on my own steel-framed bed, I let out yet another sigh.

            Ra, I'm so fucked up….

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Meanwhile:

            I opened my eyes, touching my fingers to my lips as they danced with a warm, comforting fire. I knew it- he _did_ kiss me before, and he'd just done so again, though, this time, he went a bit further, to my actual lips…. Was he toying with me, or did he really care? He's had dozens of chances to fulfill his earlier plan, and yet, he lets me off with stolen kisses and a peaceful sleep…

            He hasn't yelled at me, beat me, or even _talked_ to me since before I spoke to Jou-kun and Kaiba-sempai, and, when he did come in, he kept as quiet as possible and never did anything bad to me. I snuck a peek at him through half-lidded eyes when he hadn't been looking just minutes ago, and he'd actually looked like he was confused about something. I closed my eyes again, feigning sleep, and just moments later, he leaned down to kiss me!

            If that was the case, whatever battle he's fighting within himself must be over his feelings for me… But, do I like him that way? Do I like _anyone_ that way? I mean, I don't exactly have the best experience with things like this, especially with so few people even acting decently toward me. Could I really love someone who'd caused me so much pain before? Did I even _like_ guys?!

            My fingers touched my lips again, and I felt the same fire as I had before. Well, that settled it- I guess I did. But….him? Do I really like _him_? I mean, sure, he's kind of sexy in a dark, sadistic way, but he was the monster who destroyed my happiness! Could I ever really forgive him for all the things he's done?

            My mind says no, demo sa…. my heart says I should give him a chance. Logic, or gut feeling…? I stare at the parasite dragon carved into my bed frame, watching as it melted and changed into something new… a dark rider. Engulfed in a mysterious mist, crimson eyes boring into the souls of his enemies; a shadowed knight atop a powerful steed from the depths of hell itself… Still as dangerous as ever, but only to those whom challenged him to duel to the death.

            Well, I never really was one to accept logic when my heart says otherwise…. No point stopping now…

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End of Season I 

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K: *sniffle* WAAAAAAA~!!! I feel so sad!! Our baby's all done!! ;0;

Y: o.O; *tries to comfort her aibou* That was only the first part…. Think of the seasons to _come_, aibou!

K: *thinks about them, then about all the work they have yet to do* --; More titles…. NOOOOOO~!!

Y: --; Why do I bother?

Dai: *comes up, dragging Naito along since he's still attached to him, though around his neck now* Cuz' you're her other and you love her. XP

Y: *sighs in defeat* You're right… She's like a sister to me….

Naito: ….. Can I leave now? The chapter's through, and I only have to stay here until it's over….

Dai: 00! NOOOOOO~!! KEEP WRITING!! NEVER LET HIM GO BACK!!!!

K/Y: --; Yes, you can go…. But only cuz' we promised Merodi we'd bring you back in one piece, hopefully with your virginity intact and all that other crap…

Naito: YATTAAAAAAAA~!!!! *squirms out of Dai's death-grip and disappears in a puff of black smoke*

Dai: NOOOOOOOO~!!! NAITO-CHAAAAAAAAAN~!!! ;0; *cries hysterically*

Aete: What about me? I'm your BOYFRIEND, dammit!!!

Dai: *ignores him*

Aete: ;o; *tears dripping down his face* Why, dammit, WHY?!

Y: *whispers to her hikari* Think we should tell Dai that Naito accidentally left his boxers in the bathroom after his shower this morning since he stayed overnight?

K: ….. *thinks of all the evil things Naito said about their work and Merodi* Do you really want me to answer that? Or, rather, do you really have to? /I mean, you're my yami… You _know_ what I have in mind already…./

Y: *sadistic grin* //Bwa ha ha ha~!!! BLACKMAIL!!! XDDD//

K: Hear that, Naito? Mistreat your hikari and your onii-chan anymore, and you'll have a hell hound on your heels- Dai!! XPPPPP

Naito: *from far away* Noooooooooooooooooooo~!!! 


	12. Special 1

Notice: I dunno if anyone noticed, but the second season's started already…. It's been up for around 10 days now, and we just updated it… (now there's 2 chappies, instead of only one) We noticed only a few peeps have transferred over properly, and that half of you didn't notice the revision of chapter 11's side note. Thus, we put up this notice for you. 

Directions: You can get to the second season either by way of clicking on my name (that automatically takes you to our bio page and scrolling down the list till you find a fic entitled "Mou Hitori no Jinkaku", or you can simply type out the usual heading for a story, then add 'storyid1274150', the address for the second season.

K: Well, according to rules, there can't be a chapter with just notes directing traffic (since someone I know VERY WELL got kicked off for the same thing a LONG while back… poor 'tear-stained angel'….) so I guess I'll just add a fluffy mini-fic or something here…. Or should it be dark, to go along with the mood of 'Mou Hitori'? Hmmm…. An angsty songfic sounds good…. grins like a madma- er… Madwoman How about a teaser of a songfic for the first chappie of season 2? Yeah, that sounds good…

okay- I'll go with that, then. It won't have all the lyrics, mind you, since it'll give away all of that chapter, and besides, the song's too damn long, even if I love it…. Hell, who'd be crazy enough to be a Linkin' fan and then go and hate one of their songs? Is such a thing possible? Heh… probably… notes she's rambling again ; I'll shut up now…. Well, after the disclaimer….

Disclaimer: We dun own "Figure.09" or Yuugi-tachi…. Simply ASTOUNDING, isn't it, knowing our level of profane language and the fact Rebecca seems to say "Goddamn!" every 5 minutes in the original series…. ; (seriously- she does! It's really funny, especially if you watch the crappy dub knowing what she's really saying…. cracks up And the way she SAYS it! XD)

Directions: Insert the lyrics to "Figure.09" by Linkin' Park.

* * *

Mou Hitori: Tokushu na Ichi 

The Other: Special 1

* * *

-insert 1st stanza-

* * *

Why did it have to be me? Why does everything in my life seem to go wrong? My family, my friends… Every aspect of my life it utter crap, when I think about it. And now, this.

Did the world just universally declare me their punching bag? Someone life can kick around any time someone else feels lousy? I've had enough to handle as it is, but now an ancient spirit comes and takes over what little life I have?

How shitty of a role in life is that! And why do I still dwell on these depressing thoughts when all they do is lead me to my own dark feelings?

* * *

-insert 2nd stanza-

* * *

Anything I try to do blows up in my face. I try to make things simpler by resigning myself to my fate; by doing as he instructed…. Does it work? No. I fail to do as he wishes and end up lying broken on the floor again, just like always.

Always… I can't believe how many times he's done that to me. And even worse, how I've seemed to just adapt to it instead of trying to resist him. I know I've always been a bit of a passive person, but that's too much! And yet…

I can't really bring myself to care. I mean, of course I want the pain to stop- for him to maybe treat me the tiniest bit better, but these rebellious thoughts… I may think them up all I like, but in truth, I'll probably never follow through with them. My mind and heart resist, but the rest of me is tired, worn. It's like half my spirit is crushed, while the other half's still burning.

But in the end, is that rebellious half really even me? Or is it someone else- someone I've subconsciously created due to the spirit's appearance in my life…? Someone who feels my hate in my stead… Whom is the embodiment of my hatred….

My God… I'm just like him. I've actually become as spiteful as the one who hurts me….

* * *

-insert 3rd and 4th stanzas-

* * *

Maybe it's better this way? If I have something in common with him, he'll treat me better like I want him to, right? But….

I don't like this. I don't like this at all. There's only one of me. One Ryou. There can't be another… No.

I can't let it go on like this-

Nigeru nda. NIGERU DAI YO! (Get away. GET AWAY!)

* * *

-insert 5th and 6th stanzas-

* * *

No. I can't let him take over like this. My new personality born of bitter hatred….. I can't let him win. I'll beat him, even if it takes every fiber of my being…

Then why do I feel like I've already lost?

* * *

-insert 7th stanza-

* * *

….Why indeed?

* * *

K: ; Did anyone get that? ; I think it may just go over people's heads there, if they don't think about the lyrics carefully…. Better give an explanation, just in case…. 

Okay- here's the deal:

Ryou is speaking the entire time, but the first part is in his more rebellious, emotional side of himself. Then he realizes how he's acting, and is angry at himself for it. After, his 'passive' personality comes out and sees what exactly it is he's doing to himself, and views the new, 'rebellious' side of himself as an entity created by his bitter feelings toward life, since he doesn't think himself capable of ever thinking of such things.

He then thinks that there are 2 people trying to take over his life- Bakura, and this 'New Ryou'. The 'New Ryou' came after Bakura started torturing him regularly, so he's more used to Bakura and views the other as more of a threat. In swearing to fight this 'New Ryou's influence, he is in fact acting exactly like him. Thus, he subconsciously feels as if he's already lost since he has been influenced by the same emotions of hatred.

BUT, because he's just as stubborn as his 'other self', he refuses to listen to what he knows is true, so he asks again why it is he feels like he's already lost.

That make it any clearer for you guys? It's all really philosophical and a lot of it has to do with psychology… Of course, if my analysis of it is all wrong, you'll have to excuse me for it, since I haven't taken Psychology at all. Thus, I guess it's more like logical, philosophical thinking, but is there even such a thing? Philosophy never seems to make all that much sense anyways, does it?

Ah, screw it… I gave you a step-by-step analysis of what things meant in this special, and that's what it's supposed to mean. If there's anything else there that you guys think should be added, go ahead and think that. I need to get back to work….


End file.
